Cardiopulmonary
by MyHikari
Summary: From pumping his heart to filling his lungs, she'd do anything to keep him alive.


A/N: Ahh, NaruSaku... getting back to my shipping roots here, hehe. Feels like a while since I've given these two some love, since I've been busy as a bee watching Fullmetal Alchemist and writing my summer away! So here we are!

* * *

Cardiopulmonary: _adjective_, of or relating to the heart and the lungs

* * *

She was desperate. She needed to keep him alive, but his heartbeat was fading quickly. Nothing else was working, so she made a decision. Before she knew it, her hand was in his chest cavity, pumping it as she tried to fill his lungs with air.

"Naruto, you can't die. What about your dream?"

His dream. That's what she told herself. She was reviving him so he could become Hokage. That was the only reason.

But who was she kidding? Of course she supported his dream, and would do whatever it took to help him accomplish it, but she needed him alive for herself too. Maybe she was being selfish, but she didn't care. He was dying in her arms, she was losing him and she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't envision her life without him anymore.

And she wasn't stupid, either. She knew he was the only hope regarding ending the destruction and pain of the war. The Child of Prophesy, according to Master Jiraiya.

Of course, he didn't die, he went and saved them all. And what a relief that was. He could live on for his dream, and the village, and her too.

* * *

Naruto strolled alongside the river that went through part of the village, looking at the shimmering surface. Thinking about the war was a common ocurrence for him when he was alone, it had truly changed everything.

Instinctively touching his side, where the scar from Sakura was on, he thought about her. They hadn't really talked that much since everyone had gone home, there was just too much that needed to be done.

He hadn't let Kurama heal that particular scar, he wanted to remember forever. It still confounded him to this day that Sakura had actually touched his heart. She had already done so in a figurative sense, but this kicked it up a notch. Frankly, it was both creepy and comforting.

He looked up at the sky for a moment, lazily watching birds fly overhead as he pondered what to do for the rest of the day. His hand tightened on his side as he made a snap decison, and Naruto set off for the hospital without a second thought, determined to see Sakura.

Arriving at the hospital, he beelined for her office, nobody daring to stop him. He was the village hero, after all.

Excitedly, he dashed up stairs, bounded down a hallway and landed in front of her slightly ajar door. Knocking on the doorframe to announce his presence, he saw Sakura wave him in as she finished a bit of paperwork.

"Hey, Naruto, what's the occasion?" she asked with a smile, setting her pen down.

"We haven't really seen each other lately, I missed you," he responded, sheepishly scratching his head.

"I guess everyone's been sorta busy with post-war stuff since the celebrations ended, huh?" she asked, blushing slightly but feeling a little guilty for not reaching out herself.

"Speaking of the war, I want to show you something, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said, quickly removing his t-shirt. Sakura's blush deepened, and she shot him a questioning look, stopping when she saw the scar she left.

"How is that still there, Naruto? Kurama should have healed it!"

"Well, you see, Sakura-chan, I asked him not to," he spoke, trying to remain composed when she ran her finger over it, a strange look crossing her face. Meeting her eyes, he saw that they had misted. "Don't cry, Sakura-chan!"

"We almost lost you. I..I was so scared, I cut you open, shoved my hand in and started pumping your heart and giving you CPR. It was my last ditch attempt to keep you alive..."

"I never thanked you for that," he said, taking the hand that had been tracing his scar and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

She flipped his hand over and starting tracing a certain line on his palm. "When Ino was younger, she thought she could read palms and divine a romantic future between herself and Sasuke, going on about how a person's fate is spelled out on their palm. Sometimes, I remember it and think being Hokage must be on yours if anyone's fate really is right there on their hand."

"S..Sakura-chan, why are you saying this?" Naruto asked, flustered at the change of subject and wondering what she was trying to say.

"I really believe in your dream, Naruto. I have for a long time, and I know you can be a great Hokage." she said, feeling silly for saying anything at all. "I just want you to know I support you, is all."

In an instant, she was pulled into a warm embrace, Naruto's arms wrapped around her. She brought her arms around him too, feeling the scar a little more.

"Thank you," he merely whispered.

Pulling back from their embrace, Naruto made his second impulsive decision of the day. He cupped her face, and kissed her. Much to his delight, she didn't refuse him, and kissed him back.

"I swear, it's like you've breathed life into me twice now," he whispered, his forehead against hers.

"The first time was a life or death situation, Naruto," she clucked. "Besides, you're practically gasping for a breath now."

"What can I say? I'm excited, Sakura-chan. You're exciting."

"You don't have to add the chan all the time you know," she said, blushing a bit.

He responded with a laugh, as the kunoichi looked up at him with a pout. "Ok, but 'Sakura-chan' sounds as cute as that forehead of yours, especially now that its got that cute diamond thingie on it."

* * *

Ino looked into her best friend's office, distracted by the commotion happening inside, as a shirtless Naruto chased Sakura around while she held her hand over her forehead. His laughter and repeated shouts of "Let me kiss it!" echoed through the hallway, and was quite obnoxious.

"That's a good way to get punched," Ino murmured. She'd been passing by, and wanted to check if Sakura was ok. Of course, she was just playing around with Naruto, the two goofs giggling like idiots.

Sticking her head into the office, she stopped them in their tracks. "I swear the same air must be passing between your guys' lungs, because you're acting like dolts." the Yamanaka said with a huff, before trouncing off.

Blushing, Sakura and Naruto exchanged sheepish looks. However, in an instant, Naruto had moved in and kissed her forehead, right on the diamond.

A rumble shook the hallway, and Ino looked back, rolling her eyes as she saw Naruto prostrate on the floor, finally on the receiving end of that punch.

"D-don't touch it, baka!" Sakura's shout came, rousing Naruto and causing him to grin dopeishly.

"It's so cute though..."

* * *

A/N: Wow! That turned out different than I expected! But I like it much better than my first draft! Do you like it? Tell me all about it in a review!

I actually really like this, hehehe. I hope you didn't get offended by her punching him, she wasn't malintentioned. Twas comic relief! It can't all be angst inducing, after all, which seems to be my current path of fiction...

Toodles! MyHikari


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